The Boston Marathon Wrap up 2022
Bits and bobs.
Next weekend is the Boston Marathon. It’s also Easter weekend. Should be a busy weekend!
I have some of my running buddies running this year as well as people coming in from out of town.
When we get close like this up here in the area “Boston is in the air”. It’s very much the topic of conversation. We get a Boston Marathon effect. You see people out completing their last tune up runs, but you also see people out running because they were inspired by all the marathon talk.
And the news coverage picks up. Not only here but around the country.
A certain individual who did a certain thing in 2013 picked this week to ask for a stay of execution. We can skip over that news item.
Also in the news last week was the BAA decided to ban Russian and Belarussian athletes over the Ukraine situation. Again, I’ll skip that one.
There is always a series of press releases from the BAA about the elites that are coming to race. Mostly the usual suspects of Kenyans and Ethiopian elites. The recent press release was headed: “Fastest Men’s Field in Boston Marathon History To Compete On Patriots’ Day”…Sub-headed: TRIPLE OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST KENENISA BEKELE, DEFENDING BOSTON MARATHON CHAMPIONS BENSON KIPRUTO & MARCEL HUG HEADLINE 126TH BOSTON MARATHON.
They are also celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first women’s race in 1972 and inviting many of the original participants.
Some familiar names in the Women’s field this year. Even though Sara Hall dropped due to injury you’ve still got the ever-entertaining Des Linden and Molly Seidel.
On the men’s side we’ve even got a local Massachusetts contender in Colin Bennie who was the top American in 2021 and boasts a 2:09:38 PR. And CJ Albertson from California who was steady Eddie last year coming from way back in the pack to finish 10th.
Tatyana McFadden is returning to smash even more records in the wheelchair division. There’s a great article recently in the Baltimore Sun about her. Super inspiring athlete and human being.
Marcel Hug, mentioned in the press release headline above is the wheelchair athlete who took a wrong turn last year, still won the race but missed out on the course record because of it.
The other flavor of inks spilled about Boston this is year is all about how great it is to be returning to an in person race. Boston has been run continuously for 125 years – but now 1 of those years was a Covid year. This year will be a triumph for a lot of people who have been waiting a couple years to run.
There is also some changing of the guard going on at the BAA. Elder statesman Tom Grilk is stepping aside from his President and CEO post. I get the feeling Dave McGillivray’s role is going to change as well.
Dave will be running his 50th Boston Marathon this year. He has a big crew of 50-60 people joining him for the afternoon start. One of which is my running buddy Tim who has a side gig as a local reporter. I can’t wait to hear the stories!
Once you filter down through this national news you get to the local coverage everywhere else. You get a lot of stories about, let’s call him Bob. Bob is running for his brother who died of XYZ. Then there is Sam Roecker who is running the race in her nurses scrubs to raise awareness for the mental health of nurses. She must have a good PR machine. She hit all the major news outlets.
And there lots and lots of articles just like these where so-and-so is running for such-and-such. The element of fundraising is a major part of the race now. And I think everyone benefits from it.
Once you weed your way through the heart-wrenching stories of these community heroes you get to the personal stories of success.
These are the stories I really like. And I appreciate. You don’t find these stories in the national media, or even the local media, you find them in the blog and Facebook posts of the runners.
These are the stories of those anonymous runners toiling away for years to qualify. Failing again and again. Qualifying but missing the cut off by seconds and deciding that this just meant they had to train harder.
Because, for me that’s the essence of the Boston Marathon. When it pushes you past the point of your preconceived capabilities. When it forces you to explore new places of effort and pain and commitment that you would have otherwise never stepped foot into.
When it changes you.
That’s my Boston Marathon and those stories don’t make the news. Those stories are written in the freezing rain on a dark and lonely hill where no one would care if gave up and went home. They’d probably prefer it. They already think you’re an obsessive nut job.
But, to paraphrase another man form Boston, you choose to do it. Not because it is easy. But because it is hard.
Good luck to all my friends running the Boston Marathon this year. Godspeed. You are the privileged few. Savor that moment.